Pool challenger indicator in combination with pool table border and plurality of tokens

ABSTRACT

An inexpensive pool challenger register capable of attachment to a pool table border for preventing quarrels over questions of play succession, the register being a strip of stock, preferably polymeric, flexible to accommodate table border configuration, fitting between the table diamond markers, of insignificant thickness to avoid interference with play, and having a plurality of token locator zones and successive identifying indicia for these zones.

United States Patent Fansler Jan. 21, 1975 4] POOL CHALLENGER INDICATOR IN' COMBINATION WITH POOL TABLE BORDER AND PLURALITY OF TOKENS [76] Inventor: Harry M. Fansler, 500 E. Fulton,

Grand Rapids, Mich. 49502 [22] Filed: May 21, 1973 211 App]. No.: 362,225

[52] U.S. Cl 273/3 R [51] Int. Cl A63d 15/00 [58] Field of Search 273/2, 3 R, 8, 11 R, 11 C,

273/14, 130 H; 40/2 R, 125 A; D34/3 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,058,062 4/1913 Jaufroid 273/2 1,074,279 9/1913 4/1967 Heuser 40/2 R OTHER PUBLICATIONS Says Ralph Greenleaf, Victor Billiard-Company Catalogue, June, 1953, p. 3.

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Price, Heneveld, Huizenga & Cooper [57] ABSTRACT 'tween the table diamond markers, of insignificant thickness to avoid interference with play, and having a plurality of token locator zones and successive identifying indicia for these zones.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Ll/l I/l/ l/II/I/l/l/l/I/IIIIII/II ll/I/I/l/II/II/IIII Ill/l l/I III/I III/II/I/II III III/ PLACE O ARTER ON NEXT HIGHEST NUMBER 7 7 ;.POOL CHALLENGER PATENTED Z 1 PLACE o ARTER ON NEXT HIGHEST NUMBER ,POOL CHALLENGER POOL CHALLENGER INDICATOR IN COMBINATION WITH POOL TABLE BORDER AND PLURALITY OF TOKENS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the game of pool, and more particularly to a pool challenger register.

The act of challenging the winner of a pool game in progress is an accepted mode of assuring play in the next game. Often, a series of persons will make progressive challenges, which in effect establish their respective places in the sequence of following games. In public places, the challengers will often be a half dozen or so in number. The challenge is commonly made by placing a readily available token on the table, a quarter being normally used.

Unfortunately, the challengers too often become confused concerning which token is whose, thereby generating disagreement over order of succession of play. And if the public location of the pool table is a drinking establishment, confusion is more likely, as well as the disagreements being more violent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is therefore to provide a readily used pool challenger register to avoid quarrels over order of succession. The device is by nature sufficiently simple to enable anyone to understand, requires no special personnel to monitor, is readily attachable to existing pool tables in a manner to avoid interference with play, and is sufficiently inexpensive to render it available to table owners.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of the concept will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken with the drawings;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the combination pool challenger indicator with a pool table;

FIG. 2 is a full size plan view of the pool challenger indicator; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the pool challenger indicator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now specifically to the drawings, the combination l0 depicted in FIG. 1 includes a conventional pool table assembly 12 combined with the pool challenger indicator 14 mounted thereon. This pool challenger indicator is mounted on a peripheral border portion of the table, between the diamond shaped markers 16 of the table.

The pool challenger indicator itself 14 comprises a strip of sheet stock, preferably polymeric, which is flexible in character to accommodate to the table border configuration. Thus, if the table border has a slight curvature, the indicator can be made to readily conform to this curvature due to the indicator flexibility.

Further, this indicator has a length not exceeding the standard distance between the diamond shaped markers on the table, the indicator preferably being not greater than eight inches in length. The indicator is also very thin, preferably a few thousandths of an inch in thickness to enable it to be flexible, and also to be of insignificant thickness and thereby avoid any interference with the normal play of the game. Its surface is smooth.

On the upper surface of the indicator is a plurality of token locator zones 20, shown to be seven in actual number, and having successive identifying indicia i.e., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 for these respective zones. These token locator zones 20 are shown equal in diameter to the diameter ofa quarter since this is the most common token used as a challenger token. The face of the indicator also sets forth the instructions Place Quarter On Next I-Iighest Number to enable the successive challengers to readily employ it. The name pool challenger can also be printed thereon as well as a trademark such as Deadeye. The device may have this material printed in bright colors on the polymer. Preferably the background of the product is green to correlate with the pool table playing surface.

The back surface of the indicator possesses an adhesive layer 15 of conventional pressure sensitive adhesive, preferably covered prior to application toa pool table with a releasable protective sheet 17 over the adhesive in conventional fashion. Thus, by removing the protective layer 17 (FIG. 3), from the polymericstrip 14a, the adhesive 15 on the back surface of the polymeric strip indicator will be exposed to enable attachment of the strip to the pool table border.

In use, successive challengers will place their token indicators on successive numbers so that, when their particular number is the next one to be uncovered, they will know that it is their turn to play.

Certain minor variations to the concept presented herein may be apparent to those in the art upon reviewing this disclosure. Such variations'are intended to be within the scope of the concept presented, which is to be limited only by the claims attached.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A pool table challenger register comprising: an indicator panel in combination with the border of a pool table and a plurality of tokens to be placed on said panel, said tokens each being of a predetermined size and shape which is substantially identical to the size and shape of the others of said tokens, said panel having an upper face and a lower face, means for attaching said lower face to said border; said panel being flexible to conform to the surface of the pool table border, and having only an insignificant thickness to avoid interference with a pool cue during play; a plurality of adjacent observable, token locator zones visible at said upper face, each of said zones occupying a generally equal token-conforming area having a size and shape which is generally equal to that of one of said tokens, each of said zones being spaced apart from one another along the length of said panel, each said area being marked on said panel so that it is readily distinguishable from the remainder of said upper face of said panel, each of said zones having an observable identifying indicia thereon, said indicia identifying said zones in successive series along the length of said panel, whereby persons wishing to challenge the winners of a game in progression and successive games may place one of said tokens on the next available successive zone with its indicia. 2. The pool table challenger indicator in claim 1 comprising a polymeric strip having printed observable token locator zones and identifying indicia thereon, an adhesive on said lower face.

3. The pool table challenger in claim 1 having a length less than the standard spacing between pool table diamond markers. 

1. A pool table challenger register comprising: an indicator panel in combination with the border of a pool table and a plurality of tokens to be placed on said panel, said tokens each being of a predetermined size and shape which is substantially identical to the size and shape of the others of said tokens, said panel having an upper face and a lower face, means for attaching said lower face to said border; said panel being flexible to conform to the surface of the pool table border, and having only an insignificant thickness to avoid interference with a pool cue during play; a plurality of adjacent observable, token locator zones visible at said upper face, each of said zones occupying a generally equal tokenconforming area having a size and shape which is generally equal to that of one of said tokens, each of said zones being spaced apart from one another along the length of said panel, each said area being marked on said panel so that it is readily distinguishable from the remainder of said upper face of said panel, each of said zones having an observable identifying indicia thereon, said indicia identifying said zones in successive series along the length of said panel, whereby persons wishing to challenge the winners of a game in progression and successive games may place one of said tokens on the next available successive zone with its indicia.
 2. The pool table challenger indicator in claim 1 comprising a polymeric strip having printed observable token locator zones and identifying indicia thereon, an adhesive on said lower face.
 3. The pool table challenger in claim 1 having a length less than the standard spacing between pool table diamond markers. 